The crown jewels at Prague Castle are open to the public. | Video: Diary/Radek Cihla
The last time the ceremonial insignia could be seen a year ago, President Pavel decided that the jewelry exhibition would be held every year on the occasion of the national holiday of St. Wenceslas, which falls on September 28. According to Veronika Wolf, cultural and program director of the president’s office, this change will allow more people to see the crown jewels.
The exhibition is being held this year after an unusually short time, earlier crown jewels they exhibited rather rarely, for example during the ten years of President Miloš Zeman they were on display a total of four times. The exhibition was last held in January last year on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Czech Republic.
The crown jewels at Prague Castle are open to the public. | Video: Diary/Radek Cihla
“By putting the Crown Jewels on display every year, it will allow a much larger number of people to see the exhibition. It will no longer be the highly exclusive affair where the jewels were displayed once in a period of time for only a few days, there were long queues and the jewels were not accessible to everyone,” said Wolf. She added that the capacity of people in the exhibition hall is coordinated by the police.
Around eight o’clock in the morning, the queue at the entrance to the southern gardens numbered a few dozen people, and more were gradually arriving. The man, who introduced himself as Pavel from Prague, had been waiting at Prague Castle since 3:15, but at the wrong entrance.
“They told me at five that the entrance is here this year,” he said at the entrance to the South Gardens of Prague Castle, where the official entrance is now. “I’m here for the tenth time, that’s why I was surprised,” he added. He visited the jewelry exhibition for the first time in 1978.
The crown jewels at Prague Castle are open to the public. | Video: Diary/Radek Cihla
In addition to police officers, soldiers also take care of security at the site and castle guard Visitors must also go through security before entering the jewelry hall.
This year’s exhibition is subtitled The Mysterious Power of Stones, and thanks to holographic animation, visitors will see what stones were on the crown in 1347 during the coronation of Charles IV. Originally, there were 13 green emeralds and 60 pearls on the Crown of St. Wenceslas, Charles IV left them at the end of his life. removed and had the crown set with blue sapphires. In the animation, visitors will see the original appearance of the crown.
The crown jewels at Prague Castle are open to the public. | Video: Diary/Radek Cihla
Entry to the exhibition is from Hradčany Square through the gate to the Southern Gardens, through the Býčí staircase to III. courtyard and to the Old Royal Palace. The exhibition will be open daily from 09:00 to 17:00, except Thursday 19 September, when only registered school groups will be admitted, and Thursday 26 September, when the exhibition will not open to the public until 13:00.
The Czech crown jewels served as badges of the rule and power of the Czech kings.
Set includes Wenceslas crown, royal scepter, royal apple, leather cases for them, crown cushion and coronation cloak with accessories. The crown was made in 1346 by Charles IV. for his coronation as Czech king the following year.
The crown jewels at Prague Castle are open to the public. | Video: Diary/Radek Cihla
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